


Ray of Hope

by LSUsweetie



Series: It's So Fluffy — A Collection of Drabbles and Oneshots [7]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: #FFspringfest2021, Accidental Pregnancy, F/M, Fred Weasley Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:21:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29826279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LSUsweetie/pseuds/LSUsweetie
Summary: Just after the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione discovers that she's pregnant.Written for the Fremione Fanatics Spring Scenes Flash Fest for the prompt: Accidental Pregnancy, left by Teh Kris Eh.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley
Series: It's So Fluffy — A Collection of Drabbles and Oneshots [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2149440
Comments: 22
Kudos: 69
Collections: Fremione Fanatics Spring Scenes Flash Fest





	Ray of Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to moonfairy13 for organizing this fabulous fest! And for looking over this story for me. I was feeling a little unsure about writing something so different from my usual fun and fluff. She took the time to reassure me and point out a couple of errors because she's amazing like that! This wasn't formally beta'd and any remaining errors are my own.
> 
> Teh Kris Eh, thanks for inspiring me with your prompt: Accidental Pregnancy.

Tears filled Hermione’s eyes as she absorbed the words of the kind-eyed healer who was watching her with so much concern. This couldn’t be happening, not now. An anguished sob was ripped from her body as she buried her face in her hands. 

What was supposed to be one of the most joyous days of her life was tainted. He would have been thrilled. Regardless of the timing, it would have been the happiest news. But now...

“Ms. Granger, Hermione,” The young, female healer placed a soothing hand on her arm. “I have to ask. It was war, horrible things happened. Were you…”

“No,” Hermione lifted her face to look Healer Kelly in her eyes. “This baby was conceived in love. But,” her voice broke and she struggled to compose herself.

“I’m so sorry. Did the baby’s father… Was he killed in the battle?”

Hermione hesitated. Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself together. “Anything I say to you is confidential, correct?”

“Absolutely.”

Nodding, she made the decision to trust knowing that this detail would make everything completely obvious. “He didn’t die, but he’s in a coma.”

Healer Kelly smiled compassionately at her. “You need a support system, Hermione. Talk to his family.”

“They didn’t know we were together. Well, most of them didn’t. Two of his brothers do, but I’m nearly certain that’s all. And honestly, I’m struggling with this. Not just because of the obvious reasons, but because I just don’t understand how it happened. We used the charm every time, and I’m on the potion.”

Flipping through Hermione’s chart, the healer frowned. “Would the baby have been conceived following your torture?”

“Yes, why? We hadn’t seen each other in eight months prior to that. He stayed with me every night of my recovery until we left for Gringotts on the morning of the first of May. Then…” Suddenly unable to control her sobs at the memory of Fred’s broken body after the battle, she wasn’t able to finish her thought.

Taking a seat on the table next to Hermione, Healer Kelly rubbed her back, then passed her a box of tissues when she’d cried herself out. “I asked about the timing in regards to your torture because some potions used to calm the after-effects of the Cruciatus Curse counteract all contraceptives.”

Well, that explained it. Gods, what was she supposed to do? Thinking that it was all from stress and lack of proper nutrition all of those months, she’d ignored the loss of her periods, the vomiting, exhaustion, and crying jags. But when it continued for months, she’d been forced to accept that it might be time to get checked out. Assuming that she was suffering due to what she’d experienced at Malfoy Manor, pregnancy hadn’t even crossed her mind.

Realising that the healer was talking to her, focused on the woman’s voice. “Do you know the approximate timing of conception?

“Yes, it would have been sometime during the last three or four days of April. Before that, I was too weak.”

“Alright, so you’re nearly four months along. If you’ll lay back on the table for me, I’m going to check the baby.”

By the end of the exam, some of Hermione’s fears were calmed. The baby was growing well, and the pregnancy was proceeding normally. As she gathered her things to leave the office with prenatal potions, and instructions to return in a month, Hermione thought about the healer’s advice to talk to the Weasleys. She knew she would have to, but for some reason she was afraid.

Apparently sensing what was going through her head, Healer Kelly touched her arm again. “They’re good people. It’s all going to work out just fine. And I’m just a floo call or owl away if you need anything or have a question.  
  


Thanking her, Hermione opened the door and immediately spotted a familiar redhead seated in some chairs across from the exam room, an anxious look on his face. Immediately fearing the worst, she blurted out. “George, did something happen?”

He shook his head. “No, love. I was just worried about you. So I followed you up here,” He admitted with a sheepish expression.

Knowing that nothing more had happened with Fred, Hermione relaxed again. She glanced over her shoulder when she felt a gentle hand touch her back. “A good place to start,” murmured her healer as she nodded in George’s direction.

Sighing, Hermione smiled. “You’re right.” Turning to George, she asked, “Can we get a cup of tea and chat? Somewhere where we won’t be overheard.”

************************************

A week later Hermione finally found herself alone in Fred’s hospital room. She visited every day, but it was rare to find a time that she could be completely alone with him. George had promised to keep his mum away for at least an hour, and the siblings were all busy elsewhere.

Crawling onto his bed, Hermione curled up next to Fred and rested her head against his shoulder. She took his hand. “Oh, Fred, I need you more than ever. You have to wake up so I don’t have to do this all alone.” 

“All of those lonely nights in that tent with Harry and Ron, I entertained myself by imagining how it would be one day when we had a child. And I always imagined the moment that I told you, how happy you would be...” Tears rolled down her cheeks, falling onto his sterile hospital robes.

“Please wake up, Fred. I need you. We’re having a little baby and I can’t do this alone. I love you, and I need you to wake up.” Her sobs filled the room, and she wished that they could discover what was wrong with him. The healers had told them repeatedly that they couldn’t find a reason that he wasn’t waking up. His injuries had been healed, and there was nothing obvious that kept him in a coma. 

The senior healer in charge of Fred’s case was constantly researching new treatments. In the meantime, he encouraged everyone to talk to Fred as much as possible. So Hermione did just that. During her daily visits, she read to him, and when she was alone with him she spoke of the life that they would one day have together. She refused to believe that he would never wake. The thought of living her life without him was devastating.

Shaking off the sadness, Hermione reminded herself that she should be talking more and crying less. “I finally told your family about the baby, so they know about us now. George knew about the pregnancy already. He followed me when I went to the healer and he’s been very supportive. I was terrified to tell your parents, but once that got over the shock that the two of us were together, they’ve been wonderful. Your mum is beside herself with excitement over getting her first grandchild.”

*************************************

“I want to deliver in Fred’s room. He deserves to be there too.” Hermione dropped the bomb-shell on her healer just two weeks before her due date. 

“Hospital policy…”

“Bollocks to that. I don’t give a toss about your bloody policy. Please try, and if you won’t I’ll go over everyone’s head and get Kingsley to, I don’t know, issue a ministry decree or something.”

She turned toward Healer Kelly, tears in her eyes. “I hate to throw around who I am and what I did, but I will, for this… It’s too important. I need to be with Fred when I deliver. It’s not as if he’s contagious, or very sick where he needs the quiet. This is a completely different set of circumstances. He can’t be involved with anything else, I want him there when the baby is born.”

Sighing deeply, the lovely healer who she’d come to adore finally acquiesced. “I promise that I will try.”

*************************************

“I can’t do this. I need Fred.” Hermione gasped as she felt the start of another contraction. They came in waves. The pain was intense, but it wasn’t the reason for her distress. She felt the urge to push and knew it was time, but she wasn’t ready. Glancing over at the bed next to her’s Fred’s face was peaceful, a small smile curving his lips upward. 

George leaned in, his face close to hers as he rubbed soothing circles on her back. Everyone had been a little surprised when she’d asked him to be her support person during her labour and delivery, but they shouldn’t have been. He was the closest that she could get to having Fred and over the last nine months, they’d grown closer, leaning on each other to get through the devastation that they both experienced throughout Fred’s extended state of unconsciousness. 

Just the day before, Fred’s healer had attempted another experimental treatment, and they’d all been so hopeful because there’d been an immediate increase in his brain activity, but sadly he hadn’t woken from the coma. Hermione knew that they would keep trying, but now that their baby was coming, she _needed_ him.

As the contraction waned, Hermione collapsed back against her pillows, leaning heavily against George who was next to her. He murmured softly as he wiped the sweat from her brow. “You’re doing great. I can’t wait to meet my adorable niece or nephew. And I promise that I will be here for both of you until Fred can take over. Because he will, I know he will. He’s going to wake up and when he does, he’s going to love you and this baby with everything that he has.”

Hermione felt another contraction starting and the urge to push was overwhelming now. Meeting the eyes of Healer Kelly, she gasped, “I need to push!”

An indeterminate time later, Hermione heard the sweetest cry. Glancing over at Fred, she thought for a moment that she saw his eyes flutter, but when nothing happened, she decided that it was only a cruel trick of an exhausted and desperate mind. That she wanted him to wake so badly that she was seeing things that simply weren’t there.

Determined that she would be happy today, Hermione turned her focus to her baby. “It’s a girl,” Healer Kelly announced, as she placed the baby on Hermione’s chest. Looking at George, she asked, “Would you like to cut the cord?”

After an encouraging nod from Hermione, he grinned, “Absolutely.”

*************************************

Several hours, and many visitors later, Hermione was finally alone with her little family. She’d had offers of help for the night, of course, but she’d wanted to be alone with Fred and their daughter. With a wave of her wand, she joined their beds, scooting close to him. After arranging his arms, she lay the baby on his chest. 

“Fred, this is our daughter Brayleigh Rose. I hope you don’t mind that I picked her name by myself. It was something I spent a lot of time on. I wanted her to have a name that symbolised how I felt during my pregnancy. Brayleigh means, ‘ray of hope,’ and roses are often a symbol of love, so it seemed fitting. I love you so much, Fred.”

Hermione sighed, closing her eyes as she wrapped an arm around Brayleigh and Fred. She wished with all of her heart that he would wake up and meet his daughter before too much time passed. There was no doubt in her mind that her daughter would be loved and doted on by every member of the Weasely family, but it wasn’t the same. She needed her father too.

Brayleigh started to whimper, and Hermione knew that she must be getting hungry again. Shifting her position so she could nurse more comfortably, she turned to take the baby from Fred’s arms and met his shocked gaze. “Fred, you’re awake!” Her heart felt as if it would burst with happiness as she whispered the exclamation.”

“Hermione…” His voice, hoarse with disuse, was music to her ears. Reaching over to the table next to her bed, she offered him a sip of water. He drank, cleared his throat, then with wide eyes, he asked, “What happened?”

“You’ve been in a coma since the end of the war. That was nine months ago.” Her voice broke a little, tears clouding her vision. “Oh Fred, I’ve been so worried. I missed you so much.” Sighing, she added, “We should probably call in the healers. They’re going to need to check you over.”

“Wait.” He begged, his features clouded with confusion. “Who’s this?” He asked, peering down at the baby that was still snuggled against his chest.

“Oh, love, meet your daughter, Brayleigh. She was born today.”

“My.... daughter… our daughter.” His fingers gently stroked the baby’s soft auburn curls as he looked at her in wonder.

“Yes. It’s a long story, but I ended up pregnant after the time we spent together at Shell Cottage.” She gazed up at his face, reaching to touch his cheek. After so many months, this felt surreal. “I love you, so very much. Please don’t ever leave me like that again.” 

“I love you too.” Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he chuckled. “I have so many questions, but for now, I just want to be with you.”

Brayliegh chose that moment to announce her presence, loudly. And Hermione remembered that she’d been about to feed her when Fred awoke. Taking the baby from his chest, she settled her at her breast, and made sure that she was latched properly. She glanced back at Fred and saw that he watched them intently. “Gods, you’re both so beautiful. I love you Hermione, and I already love our daughter. But I can’t believe I’ve missed so much.”

“You’re here now, and that’s all that matters. You’re here when I really need you.” She murmured against his lips as he leaned down to cover them with his own.

Hermione heard a gasp from the doorway and looked up to see a mediwitch standing there with her mouth hanging open. She knew that their moment of peace was over, but Fred had finally come back to her and that’s all that mattered. At that moment, Hermione couldn’t imagine how it would be possible to feel any happier. She’d finally met her daughter, and Fred woke up. She had everything she wanted, everything she could ever need.

  
  
  



End file.
